The application period for Park City’s $2.2 million in state and federal CARES Act funding ends next week. Over 40 local organizations have applied for grants, but only two have been from Park City’s nonprofit community.
With less than one week to go until the application window closes on November 9th, local businesses and nonprofits are being encouraged by city government to apply for their share of state and federal CARES Act money.
Park City was recently given $2.2 million dollars in funding to offset COVID-19 related losses and opened a grant application process last week for local organizations to take advantage of.
Jonathan Weidenhamer is the project manager as well as Park City’s Economic Development Manager. He says the application process is pretty straightforward and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete if you’ve already gathered the right information.
“It’s documenting losses, it’s telling us how you’ll spend the money, it’s asserting that you won’t duplicate benefits, meaning if you’ve already received CARES money that you have new or incremental things that you’re looking to offset,” says Weidenhamer. “We’re also going to be asking you to tell us how you’re going to forward the city council critical goals and priorities, which are listed and linked in the application form, and then just some nuts and bolts about the business -- where is it located, what do you do, how have you been hurt, how many employees do you have -- just simple stuff.”
Organizations that employ 60 or fewer full-time employees are eligible to apply and the minimum grant amount is set at $2,500. Organizations who do receive money will have to spend it by the end of the month, but Park City has applied for an extension with the state until the end of December.
Weidenhamer says 41 applications have been received so far, but only two have been from Park City’s nonprofits.
Live PC Give PC is the annual fundraiser for Park City’s nonprofit community and is happening this Friday, November 6th. Beth Armstrong is the Executive Director of People’s Health Clinic, one of the nonprofits that has applied for a grant. She thinks organizations might be waiting to see how this weekend goes before applying themselves but says there isn’t any harm in going for it now.
“I, personally, want to be one of the first ones they get and read so that they know that we are anxious about it and are grateful for the opportunity,” Armstrong says. “I would never want to wait and give off the impression that, no, we don’t need it, or just, it was a last-minute thought. If you’re a nonprofit and you’re planning on doing it, the sooner you submit the grant information, the easier it will be on those people that are going to be sitting down and reading through them. It will help them a great deal not to wait.”
City Councilmembers Steve Joyce and Nann Worel are the two council liaisons to the business community. Joyce says organizations shouldn’t be shy about applying for a grant. He says they don’t expect to hand out more than $50,000 to any one organization, but applying for more is allowed.
“If you have expenses, if you have impacts, document them and request them,” says Joyce. “You may not get it all, but, you know, don’t be hesitant about being forthright about what the COVID impacts are for you and your either business or your nonprofit.”
Joyce, Worel, Weidenhamer, and other staff at city hall will be using a point system to determine who gets money, as well as how much.
Applicants are awarded points based on a number of criteria. More points are awarded for things like fewer employees, more documented losses, as well as if the organization can show they are working towards the same goals as the city -- like social equity and a diverse economy.
Weidenhamer adds he wouldn’t be surprised if they receive applications for much more than the $2.2 million they have. He says that’s a good problem to have.
“I would think it wouldn’t be a far cry to see $3 million-plus in grant applications,” he says. “I think it’s going to be a good problem to have if it’s hard for Nann and Steve to figure out how to award that money. These are good problems.”
More information about Park City’s CARES grants can be found here.
Grant recipients and amounts are expected to be decided by the end of next week and funds will be distributed on November 20th.
